Manurewa Marae chair Helena Stevens says the inquiry has prompted a review of all the marae's systems and processes. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
Manurewa Marae has acknowledged it could and should have done better at handling completed census forms, following the Public Service Commission's inquiry into the steps government agencies took to ensure data collected at the marae could not be misused.
The marae continues to reject accusations it misused the data.
The inquiry was launched after allegations census and Covid-19 vaccination data collected at the marae was used for electoral purposes.
Then-chief executive Takutai Tarsh Kemp won the Tāmaki Makaurau seat for Te Pāti Māori, narrowly beating Labour's Peeni Henare.
The allegations themselves were not investigated, but the government wanted assurances the agencies had proper processes in place to protect data it shared.
The inquiry found government agencies, including StatsNZ, the Ministry of Health, and Health New Zealand failed to put appropriate safeguards in place, and fell short of their responsibility to protect and manage the sharing of personal data.
Government statistician and Stats NZ chief executive Mark Sowden will stand down next month. Photo: Supplied / Stats NZ
In StatsNZ's case, risks of conflicts, privacy breaches, and poor process were identified, but not dealt with.
The Ministry of Health and Health New Zealand had no safeguards in place to address the possibility of conflicts of interest arising from the sharing of health information, and had no control over files once they were downloaded by the providers' staff.
"None of the agencies were existing to draw on their existing assurance systems to respond to the allegations, and that, we say, is problematic," said Michael Heron KC, who led the inquiry along with Pania Gray.
Investigating whether the data was misused will now be picked up by police and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner.
"While we don't know if personal information was improperly used, the opportunity was left open, which is unacceptable," said the Public Service Commissioner Sir Brian Roche on Tuesday.
In a statement issued Tuesday evening, Manurewa Marae chair Helena Stevens said the inquiry had been the impetus for major change.
"This inquiry has served as a wake-up call, one which we needed, and prompted a review of all the marae's systems and processes," she said.
Stevens said the marae engaged fully, transparently, and in good faith with the inquiry, and will now carefully consider its findings.
She said an internal review last year led to a new charter and constitution, and a new operating model which would govern how the marae operated from now on. It also had a new chair and chief executive.
"Many times, Manurewa Marae has been called on by Crown agencies and health and social service providers to help reach members of our community who they cannot. Often at the last minute," Stevens said.
"We value the role we play in our community - this was why we were established - but we acknowledge that we need to do it better. We're confident we now have a better structure in place to do this."
As a result of the inquiry's findings, StatsNZ chief executive Mark Sowden will not seek re-appointment.
StatsNZ, the Ministry of Health, Health New Zealand, and Te Puni Kokori have also been suspended from entering into new contracts or renewing or extending existing contracts with Manurewa Marae, the Whanau Ora Commissioning Agency, and the Waipareira Trust, until the Public Service Commission is satisfied they have robust safeguards for protecting data and managing conflicts of interest.
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